Gold medal in the can

Canned beer is catching on big in craft brewing circles, where the vessel is appreciated for better protecting its contents from flavor-altering exposure to sunlight.

In one sign, there’s now the AmeriCAN Canned Beer Competition held in May these past two years in Chandler, Az., which this year attracted 40 breweries vying for top canned beer honors. One was our own NOLA Brewing which won a gold medal in the event’s amber/brown ale category for its NOLA Brown.

The Irish Channel-based NOLA Brewing, founded in 2008, started selling some of its beers in cans just last year.

Of particular interest in New Orleans, the canned craft beer trend is making better-quality brews parade-route friendly and their containers eligible for the city’s still-glass-challenged recycling program.